Friday, December 21. 2007

The MSI Utility for Microsoft Application Virtualization is a new tool designed to extend virtual application deployment in certain key scenarios. In cases where a computer running Microsoft System Center Virtual Application Server is not available, the MSI Utility allows delivery of sequenced applications directly to Microsoft SoftGrid Application Virtualization for Desktops and Microsoft SoftGrid Application Virtualization for Terminal Services.

The MSI Utility extends application deployment methods to a broad range of ESD systems, including Systems Management Server 2003 and System Center Configuration Manager, as well as other methods such as network shares, removable disks, and memory keys. By using an ESD system to deploy virtualized application packages to disconnected SoftGrid Application Virtualization Desktop Clients, users can run virtualized applications without connecting to a computer running Microsoft System Center Virtual Application Server.

Tuesday, December 11. 2007

Check out the excellent post here detailing the GUIDs involved when using the powercfg.exe command in Vista.

The dirty little secret is that powercfg.exe is also pretty much the only way to control power management inside a Windows Server 2008 Core server.

At minimum, I usually set these values on my Core VMs/Core Servers, inside a batch file, which is primarily a cut and paste from some of Richard Smith's post:

REM sets the power configuration to High Performance
powercfg -setactive 8c5e7fda-e8bf-4a96-9a85-a6e23a8c635c

REM turns hibernation off
powercfg -hibernate OFF

REM set the absentia power scheme (the scheme used when no one is logged in)
powercfg -setabsentia 8c5e7fda-e8bf-4a96-9a85-a6e23a8c635c

Note: Many people might wonder why I am setting power management settings on a virtual machine, but I tend to use VMWare Workstation 6.0 and report battery status, which in turn enables power management items inside Server 2008 and Server Core 2008.